On Day 3 of our trip, we set out to explore some of Hong Kong Island’s most iconic attractions. And honestly, if you’re visiting Hong Kong, you simply can’t miss the Central–Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System — it’s one of those “only in Hong Kong” experiences!
Hong Kong Tramways Ding Ding
Since we were based near Causeway Bay Station, getting around was super easy with public transport. For this adventure, we hopped on a tram to Central to visit the Mid-Levels Escalator.
It was actually our first time taking the Hong Kong Tramways, so we were a little clueless at first — Do we flag it down? Where do we pay? The sight of the trams instantly reminded me of when I first rode the classic red Routemaster double-decker bus in London more than 20 years ago. A little nostalgic moment!
Here’s how it works: you hop on at the back of the tram, and you can sit either on the lower deck or climb upstairs. If you’re a tourist, trust me — go straight to the upper deck! The views are so much better. The trams don’t have air-conditioning, but the windows open all the way, which makes the ride breezy (and slightly nerve-wracking if you’ve got children sitting right by the windows).
To get off, just walk towards the exit, tap your Octopus card, and hop off. The platforms are narrow and sheltered, so be prepared to shuffle past people waiting to board.
Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System
The Mid-Levels Escalator is actually the longest outdoor covered escalator in the world! It stretches for over 800 metres and climbs 135 metres, taking you from the busy streets of Central up into the Mid-Levels. Along the way, you get little snapshots of everyday Hong Kong life.
After hopping off the tram at Gilman Street, it was only a two-minute walk to Central Market, where the escalator begins. (Tip: you could also get there from Hong Kong Station with a 7-minute walk, but I honestly think the tram is the more fun way!)
Central Market itself is a cosy shopping centre filled with fashion, food, and drink stalls. It’s not massive, but worth a quick browse or even a coffee break — plus, the air-conditioning is icy cold and the toilets are spotless.
The escalator starts on the second level of Central Market. There are 16 escalators and 3 travellators, which switch direction during peak hours: going down from 6–10 am, then reversing to go up from 10:20 am until midnight. We actually wanted to see the switch-over at 10:20 am, but it changed earlier and we missed it — such a bummer! If you’re keen to watch it, I’d recommend arriving around 10:10 am.
Since it was raining heavily that day, we had to throw on ponchos and carry umbrellas. The walkway is covered, but the sides are open and in some sections you will need to cross the road to get to the next escalator. Not exactly fun in a downpour, but still manageable!
It took us about 15 minutes to reach the top at Conduit Road. From there, you can catch a green minibus No. 3 down, but when we tried, the minibus was so full it didn’t even stop for us. So instead, we walked down using the Glenealy Footbridge towards Robinson Road to catch a bus. Honestly, the walk was a little tricky — slippery footpaths, heavy rain, and me in slippers (not recommended!). On a sunny day though, this route would make a great photo spot.
The Peak Tram (Weather Permitting!) and Peak Tower
The Peak Tram is one of the world’s oldest and most famous funicular railways, taking you up to 396 metres above sea level. It is so steep that standing on it can feel like a mini workout!
From Mid-Levels, we took Bus 23 — just three stops and a short walk later, we were at the Peak Tram station. Because of the heavy rain, it was surprisingly quiet. The staff even suggested buying standard tickets since the bad weather meant there wouldn’t be much of a view from the top. (Good advice — always check their website or socials before going, as they sometimes close the tram during storms.)
The tram itself was decorated with a Disney “Mickey Keep It Real” theme, which was a cute touch. It is air-conditioned, but honestly still felt pretty warm inside. We grabbed seats on the right-hand side at the front and managed a few nice photos, despite the rain and other passengers in the way.
The ride up is slow but fun, with little pauses as trams from the opposite direction pass by. At the top, Peak Tower is packed with souvenir shops, food, and mini exhibitions. We didn’t buy tickets for the Sky Terrace (the viewing deck), so we skipped that.
Instead, we explored the “Hong Kong: Through the Looking Glass” Miniature Exhibition by the Joyful Miniature Association (JMA) (finished on 23rd August 2025). It was amazing — tiny replicas of Hong Kong’s streets, landmarks, and culture at a 1:300 scale. It even inspired us to add a new stop to our itinerary: Man Mo Temple! Read more over here!
Man Mo Temple
Man Mo Temple is actually close to the Mid-Levels Escalator, so if we’d known earlier, we would have combined the visits. Still, from the Peak Tram it was only a quick trip — about 12 minutes on Bus 22, then a walk down (thankfully!) the staircase to reach the temple. A much easier downhill stroll than climbing up in the rain! I’ll share more about this beautiful temple in my next post.
Yick Fat Building (Monster Building)
Our final stop was the famous Monster Building in Quarry Bay. From Sheung Wan Station, we took the train to Quarry Bay and walked a short distance (or you could go one stop further to Tai Koo and walk back).
The “Monster Building” is actually a complex of five interconnected buildings — Fook Cheong Building, Montane Mansion, Oceanic Mansion, Yick Cheong Building, and Yick Fat Building. Built in the 1960s, it houses over 10,000 residents across 2,243 units. It is incredibly dense, with towering blocks that almost feel like the walls of a giant urban canyon. No wonder it’s been featured in films like Transformers: Age of Extinction and White Dragon/Strangers, as well as in music videos.
Finding the entrance was a little tricky — Google Maps led us in circles, and we probably walked past it once or twice. In the end, we just followed locals and found it! Despite the rain and fading light, we snapped a few photos before calling it a day.
And that was our whirlwind tour of Hong Kong’s most iconic spots — all in a single day, thanks to the city’s cheap and efficient public transport.
Which of these attractions would you be most excited to see? Let me know in the comments below!